The Last Five Miles

The majority of ultra-marathon racers who quit a 100 mile event do so around mile 95. Yes, the last 5 miles. Who would do this when there are only 5 miles to go?

We are talking about highly trained, dedicated athletes with a single-minded focus on their goal and yet, many quit with their goal so near. They have worked and worked and come so far…yet.

Ninety-five miles is a VERY long way to run. This takes the individual well past any training run. They have long ago ran out of physical and mental energy. The finish line is not in sight. Can I possibly endure one more hill? Do I want it badly enough? My body and mind are bruised. This has been much harder than I ever imagined. Is my goal still in my minds eye? All that is left is emotional energy. Is it enough?

The last 5 miles is ALWAYS the hardest. Keep a firm mental grip on your goal and relax all else. Let there be no wasted energy from negative thoughts. Wring every last bit of your energy. The finish line is just about in sight.